History

Globalisation, the information economy, a digital future - these are the buzzwords of our age.

Now that the world has caught up with the web, there's broad acceptance that technology will play an increasingly crucial role in our social, economic and civil lives. That's great, but what does it all mean and what will be required to make it work?

It seems clear that if Scotland is to harvest the benefits of the digital age, it needs a clear understanding of the resources, skills and infrastructure this will require in both the short and long-term futures. At present our development is ad-hoc, depending largely on the private sector to provide direction, and while this approach has served us fairly well so far, it will not suffice forever.

The country needs a digital blueprint - a clear, considered and far-reaching national strategy designed to deliver the tools that a 21st Century Scotland will require if it is to prosper and thrive. I've talked to many of the country's major players about this and so far, they all agree.

To make it happen, however, somebody needs to take the first step.

With that in mind, in late 2007 I decided to launch a campaign dedicated to seeing such a strategy become a reality. In collaboration with senior industry figures and the Sunday Herald, I initiated a series of debates and roundtable events designed to harvest the experience and talents of experts throughout the country, drawing upon their considerable knowledge in an effort to get the ball rolling.

The first event revealed broad agreement that any such strategy should be broken down into three distinct areas: Innovation, Infrastructure & Education.

As planning for seperate discussions on each of the three key topics got underway, it was decided to use transcripts of the debates in an attempt to lace together a draft strategy paper & use this as the basis of an online consultation and wiki-style peer review which, though fraught with possible complications, should produce something approaching a representative document.

Ambitious? Yes, but not impossible. It will take much time and effort, but if sucessful this could lead to the creation of a draft national strategy capable of ensuring Scotland's place in an uncertain future.

Reaching that goal will require collaboration, foresight and effort however. Without the input, experience and expertise of as wide a group of contributors as possible the project simply won't fly, and that means we need your ideas ...

Iain S Bruce, May 2008